


Seeds of a Sunflower

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-11 20:34:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13532025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: On his way to Beacon, Qrow takes a detour.





	Seeds of a Sunflower

Sunbeams shined through the trees, speckling shadows along the forest floor. They shifted patterns with the wind, erratic breezes making the leaves rustle and chilling the air mildly. With the days growing longer and warmer as summer drew nearer, it was a welcome coolness.

At least, that was what the man bent over his flowerbed thought as he sowed in a new row of seeds in the soil. As the last few were placed down and covered with the soil, Taiyang ran a hand over his sweaty brow and got to his feet, bracing his hands behind his lower back as he bent backwards to work out some of the ache that had settled.

“I’m getting old.” He mumbled to himself, heading for the house. He fetched the watering can from under the sink and filled it, before returning to the yard. As he stepped towards his sunflowers, the sound of a noise caught his attention.

He was used to hearing the tweets of a songbird and the chirps of finches, but the cawing of larger birds was rare. As he eyed the trees, he quickly found the perpetrator perched on a branch of one of the maple trees; a red-eyed, black bird staring back at him.

He smiled to it. “Hello Qrow.” He walked towards his flowers and as he did, lost sight of the bird behind the trunk of a closer tree.

A few more steps, and where the bird should have been now lounged a well-dressed, scruffy-faced man who offered him a two-fingered salute. “Hey.”

“You need a shave.” Tai said, tipping the can.

Though he couldn’t see him, he could easily picture the way Qrow rubbed at his own face as he replied, “Yeah. Been out for a while.” There was a thump as he must have jumped from the tree, shoes swishing through the grass as he crossed over, though trying not to get too close.

Last time he had, one of the walls had collapsed, the avalanche of soil and flowers devastating the normally vibrant blooming cycle for the rest of the year.

“Are you staying awhile?”

“No.” There was a brief pause, then, “Just tonight.”

Tai’s grip on the watering can tightened. He looked towards Qrow but the other was taking a swig of his flask, avoiding his gaze. He turned back to his flowers for a moment, taking a deep breath, before shooting his longtime friend a gentle smile. “Well, for maybe the first time ever, you’re in luck. I have just what I need to make your favorite for dinner. I’ll get started on it while you get cleaned up.”

He turned away to finish his watering as Qrow mumbled, “Yeah, sure. Sounds great.” Before he slipped inside the house.

As the door clicked shut Taiyang silently allowed himself to sink to the ground, unease settling deep in his heart.

* * *

The ginger and oil in the wok sizzled loudly as the beef was dumped in, chopsticks pushing and turning the strips around occasionally. When a timer sounded, Taiyang took a quick moment to flip off the other running burner on the stove, taking the pot of rice off the heat to allow it to steam. He then turned back to the meat, flipping the strips again. It was just as they had cooked enough for him to start adding the broccoli and marinade that he heard a soft hum behind him, warm arms wrapping around his waist.

“Smells good.” Qrow said, resting his chin on his shoulder. His hair was tousled and still slightly damp, the smell of pine-scented shampoo and aftershave clinging to him. He had declined putting on his normal outfit, instead just having thrown on a t-shirt and a pair of sleep pants that he knew were actually his own, if the way they hung too loose on the other’s thin hips was any indication.

“It’s almost done.” Tai said, a pleasant shiver running over his skin as Qrow nuzzled into his neck, dropping a kiss or two there. “Though, keep doing that and I’m going to burn it.”

“I’m here,” He mumbled, nibbling at his jawline. “You’re gonna burn it anyways.”

He bopped his nose with the ends of the chopsticks. “Then go away and go set the table.”

“Always putting me to work.” Qrow bit without malice, giving him a nip on the edge of his ear before stepping away to do so. “Tea?”

“Yeah. Jasmine.” He answered, still feeling a little tingly but focusing back on the task at hand, stirring the mixture around. A kettle was placed on the counter beside him, filled and ready to be heated, before Qrow crossed to the other side to get down the plates and cups. It wasn’t long before food was dished out and tea was poured, the two men settling across the table from each other to enjoy the meal together.

“So, Ruby sent a letter recently. Said she’s coming to visit soon, to relax before the tournament.” Taiyang said as he held his chopsticks up, blowing some to cool the meat.

“Yeah?” Qrow lent his elbow on the table as he mixed his rice with the beef and broccoli. “Heard about their little run in with the crime syndicate in Beacon. Bet that one gave you a heart attack.”

“It did not! I worried. A little bit.” A lot, actually. But who was measuring? “Anyways, she wrote one to you too. She wasn’t sure where to send it, so she just told me to give it to you when you came by. It’s in the desk drawer when you want it.”

The conversation continued from there; he talked about his classes and how different the newest generation of kids was from the last. Qrow told him about some huntsmen he had run into during his travels they had both known from their own school days. Then, they went on about even smaller things. The newest cheap dust-wielding product being advertised that couldn’t hurt a fly, let alone a full-grown Grimm. The unfortunate shutting down of a restaurant in Patch they had both liked. Made the other laugh as he explained how he had sent Zwei to Beacon.

And when dinner was finished and the kettle empty, Qrow did the dishes while Tai took a shower (and he was pretty sure the other was turning the hot water on more than was necessary with all the random cold bursts he was getting). After a quick dry down, he wrapped his towel around his waist, heading into his bedroom with the intention of throwing on some more comfortable clothes. He stopped abruptly when he realized Qrow was there, his youngest daughter’s letter unfolded on the desk. If he had been reading it, it was obvious from the far-off gaze he had that he’d either finished long ago or got lost in his own thoughts.

“Qrow?”

The sound of his name seemed to snap the other man out of whatever trance he had been in, slowly looking towards him.

And then, with an obvious scan with his eyes, he looked at _all_ of him. “Well.”

Tai placed a hand on his hip. “See something you like?”

“Depends.”

“On?”

Qrow smirked, giving him a wink. “If the towel is removable.”

He grinned in return. “Why don’t you come over here and find out?”

“Don’t mind if I do.” And Qrow pounced.

* * *

The two were tangled together in the sheets, breaths still a little heavy and the heat between them a little much, though neither seemed inclined to move away. Qrow has nestled his head along Tai’s bicep, and he gave a pleasant hum as fingers ran through his hair and gentle kisses were pressed against his sweaty brow.

“Tai?”

“Yeah?”

“…I love you.” It was a mere whisper, but in such quiet stillness, it seemed as loud as a shout.

He pulled away, just enough to get a proper look at the other. In all the years he’d known him, he couldn’t remember a time he’d seen the other so reserved, so vulnerable. He’d always been the nonchalant, snarky one, acting as if nothing ever got to him. And the few, very few, times something had, Tai at least could understand: The first time Qrow’s aura broke on a field mission and he’d ended up wounded. At Summer’s funeral, her white cloak carried between them. When Yang and Ruby, only toddlers, were almost slaughtered by Grimm.

But this? He couldn’t – or maybe didn’t want – to understand.

Because in Qrow’s eyes, he could see layers of horror; things witnessed but could no longer be told since Tai’d stepped out of the inner circle. Of someone who thought that a twelve-hour trip across the sea to have just one more night with him was worth it.

He saw the eyes of a man who believed he wouldn’t be coming home again.

Words tried to escape him. Encouragement tilting on his tongue to ease him. Bargains swelling in his throat that would coerce him to stay. Desperate pleas battering in his lungs to guilt him into quitting. Yet, not a one was uttered as he drew the other against him.

Held him close, as if the grip could keep him from disappearing before dawn as he knew he would.

It felt ironic that their leader had sewn the seeds of Team STRQ and helped them to grow with just as much love and diligence as she did with her sunflowers. Yet he, who did his best to follow her footsteps, only felt like he was there to watch it all wither away in the end.

**Author's Note:**

> For those curious, this story plotlined from Qrow’s line about seeing the things Salam has made and how they “are fear”. It just made me curious on what exactly he did see to make a claim and just how shook up he possibly was about it.


End file.
